Electric-railway system



y (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. P. WBLLMAN.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM. l No. 586,920. 4 Patented July 20, 1897.

H. P. WELLMAN. ELECTRI RAILWAY SYSTEM.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 586,920. Patented July 2o, 1897.

(No Model.) K s sheets-sheet 3. H. P. WELLMAN.

, ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

No. 586,920. Patented July 20,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT llEEicE.

HABLAN P. wELLMAN, oEAsI-ILAND, KENTUCKY.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,920, dated July 20, 189'?. Application filed December 12, 1896. Serial No. 615,484. (No model.)

`T0 alwwm it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, HARLAN P. WELLMAN, of Ashland, in the county of Boyd and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railway Systems; and I do hereby declare the follow- 'ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in electric-railway systems.

The primary object of the invention is to provide Simple and highl y-efli cient means for automatically charging and discharging a sectional conductor of an electric railway, said conductor paralleling the track-rails.

A further object is to provide an improved short-circuiting switch which is located in close juxtaposition to the track-rails, so that when sliding contact is had therewith by an inductor of the motor-car the circuit will be closed to the feed-in switch.

A further object is to l provide improved contact-points, so as to reduce the danger of arcing to a minimum.

A further object is to provide an improved inductor carried by the motor-car for closing the, circuit of each short-circuiting switch whereby the current will be cut into and out of each conductor-section through the agency 3'is a transverse sectional view illustrating thevin'ductor and short-circuiting switch and connections between the latter and the sectional conductor. Fig. 4 isla detail View of the short-circuiting switch. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view of the same. Fig..6 is a face view of one of the feed-in switches. Fig. '7 is a side view of the same, parts being in section. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the same. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatical view illustrating my improved electric-railway system as an entirety. Fig. 10 is a view of the inductor. Figs. 1l, 12, 13, and 14 are viewsillustrating the short-circuiting switch. Figs. 15 and 16 are views of modified forms thereof. Fig. 17 is a modification of the inductor.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the 'sectional conductor, composed of a series of disconnected plates mounted on insulated supports a., secured to the ties between and parallel with the track-rails.

1 and 2 indicate what I term sectional wires running parallel with and corresponding in length to each conductor-section, said wires being strung on poles. A third or feeder wire 3, likewise strung, leads from a suitable generator. Y ,I

B designates the feed-in switch, one being provided for each conductor-section and located at any point intermediate the ends thereof. Each switch is inclosed in a waterproof box l), and it comprises two magnets Z9 b2 and a pivoted armature b3, the free end. vof which is curved to form ahalf-circle, the lower ends of the cores of said magnets being curved on the arc of a circle. The two magnets are spaced apart in such manner that the pivot of the armature is on the vertical line between or midwayof said magnets ata point beneath them, the upper longer end `of said armature being in close proximity to the lower curved 'ends of said magnets and capable of being moved onv its pivot under the excitement in either magnet. The magnet is connected to Wire l by a wire 4, while the magnet b2 is connected by awire 5 to wire 2. The feeder-wire 3 is connected by a wire 6 to the two magnets b' and h2, said wire 6 terminating in its connection to one of a series of spring-arms b4. There isa correspondingl series b5 of these springarms, both of said series projecting upwardly from an insulated base bG on the bottom of box b. The arms of each series are connected in series. One of the arms of the series b5 is connected by a wire '7 to the sectional conduc- IOO tol'. On the shaft ZJT of the armature is an insulated cylinder D, having opposite lugs D",

connected together by wires Z510. Then the lugs and the arms are in cont-act, the circuit is established between the two series of arms. \Vhen the current is cut out of the sectional conductor, the armature is held toward magnet D', disconnecting the two series of arms b4 and b5, but when the current is cut into the magnet b2 and the armature is attracted thereby the opposite lugs bf are brought into engagement with the two series of arms b4 and b5 and the current passes through wire '7 to the sectional conductor. These series of spring-arms connected in series and the series of connected lugs avoid the destructive arcing that would occu r at a single rupture upon the circuit being broken.

D designates the short-cireuiting switch of the electromagnetic type, located between or to one side of the track-rails and at the ends of each conductor-section, two switches being used for each section. Each switch comprises a bipolar magnet having an interrupted or broken magnetic circuit that is, the yoke or neutral part is left olf-the circuit being completed only when a car carrying an inductor is passing over the switch and the neutral part is temporarily replaced. Each magnet comprises two cores (l, having a wire d' wound thereon, said wire at one end being connected to the track and at the other to one of the sectional conductors, so that as the latter is charged current will be passing through the wire d to the track-return. The magnet is inclosed in a waterproof box or casing d2, having a non-magnetic cover d3, provided with a recess which is filled with a waterproof compound di. Through openings in this cover extend the upper disconnected ends of these cores d, said ends being preferably flattened or provided with caps, so as to present an increased contact-surface. rlhe lower ends d5 of these cores are enlarged and curved on their opposite faces to accommodate an S-shaped rotary armature E, mounted on a shaft e, said armature being at no time in actual contact with said cores. 1t is normally held away from them by a spring d, connected to an arm e2 of shaft @,which ab uts against a stop e3. The normal magnetic excitement between the lower poles of the magnet is not sufficient to overcome the tension of spring d, and this can be accomplished only when connection is established between the upper ends of said poles or cores-that is, temporarilysupplying the ncutral or yoke conn eetion between them. On the shaft e is an in sulated cylinder e4, having opposite lugs ci", connected by wires e6. lVhen the shaft and cylinder are rotated, these lugs are brought into engagement with two series of spring-arms eT es, depending from cover d3, the arms of each series being connected in series like the arms b4 h5 of the feed-in switch. The series of arms e7 is connected by a wire 12 tothe sectional wire of the conductor-section, in advance of and toward which the car is running, while the series e is connected by a wire 13 to the track-rails. In lieu of these series of contacts a single contact may be provided by attaching an arm f to shaft e, said arm having contact-plates j" for engaging contacts f2, (see Eig. 15;) but as considerable arcing is liable to occur in this system I prefer to use the series of arms and lugs connected in series. The current is circulating through the magnet-coils of wire d of the switch when the sectional conductor is alive with current supplied through the feed-in switch thereof. This being so, as soon as the neutral connection between the upper poles of the magnet-cores is established the S- shaped armature and cylinder el rotate, making connection between the two series of spring-arms c7 e, and thus complete the eleetric circuit to the feed-wire 3 through wire 12, sectional wire 2, wire 5, and magnet b2, the connection between the two series of arms b b5, and wire 7, which cuts the electric current into the sectional conductor in advance of the motor-car. At the same time the current is cut out of the section from which the car has just passed, the armature of the feed-in switch of the latter section being attracted by the magnet b, the wire 12 being connected by a branch wire 1l to wire 1 of the section last mentioned.

Each short-cireuiting switch is preferably located between the track-rails, with its top at such altitude that sliding contact can be had with the upper ends of the magnetic cores by a suitable inductor carried by the motorcar; but the same may be located to one side of the track, as shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 1l. In this event the magnet-cores, or what I term the neutral ends thereof, are elongated and extended in parallelism beneath one of the rails, terminating between the latter and the sectionalconductor, a contact-cap F being attached to the end of each core, or, as shown in Fig. 13, one core may be extended over the other, so as to bring the two contactcaps F' side by side. If desired, as shown in Fig. 14, one of the cores may be connected direct to one of the track-rails, using track and wheel return.

In lieu of the S-shaped armature I may employ a flat plate-armature G, (sec Fig.1(i,) having a reduced edge g, which is normally held down against stops g by a spring g2, but when said armature is attracted by the magnet it will engage contact-paints g", closing the circuit in lien of the two series of arms el and e8. To avoid too intimate contact of the armature G with the cores, a nonmagnetic piece gtis inserted in the lower end of each core, thus allowing more freedom and quicker action of said armature.

Upon one of the trucks of a car, as 7U, are mounted two induetors Il, capable of being raised and lowered alternately at the same time by the same means, or one can be operated independently of the other. Each ind uctor is of elongated form and when lowered IOO IIO

is designed to have sliding. contact with yt-he upper ends of the magnet-cores of the shortcireuiting switches. Each inductor is of a magnetic metal and is preferably composed of a' series of plates h, united together like links of a chain and attached to end pieces 72,', to which a long metallic-barb2 is united; but the construction of the inductor itself is not restricted to any special arrangement. I have shown the inductor in Fig. 17 as comprising a series of laminated plates. This bar is iieXibly connected by bowed springs h3 to the lower ends of links h4, pivoted at h5, and connected together by a rod 71.6, one end of which latter contacts with a' spring-buffer 7t7 when the inductor is lowered. To an arm Vhs extending from one of the links h4 is convated, it is so held by havingthe cross-head fi engaged by a spring-pressed vertically-disposed rod t4, movable in a small upright cylinder t. To release this rod and cross-head,

pressure is .admitted beneath the piston-like head t of rod t4. rlhe admission of air to the pneumatic device is controlled by a suitable valve located conveniently to the motorman.

In practice the inductor on the right-hand side of the car (determined by the direction of travel) is lowered so as to have sliding contact with the cores of the short-circuiting switches. Each inductor being yieldingly mounted no jar is occasioned when such contact is had. Assuming the car to be traveling to the left of Fig. 9 and the conductorsection at the right to have been previously charged with electricity, causing the current to flow through the magnet-coils of the switch D, upon the inductor contacting with the caps or exposed ends of the cores of said switchthe S-shaped armature immediately turns through the influence of the restored neutral portion of the magnet, causing the closing of the circuit through the two series of spring-arms e7 es, (or the single arm f,) through wire 12, to the track-return, and the magnet b2 of the feed-in switch of the advance section will effect the turning of the armature h3, and, through the two series of springarms 194195 being brought into circuit through the oppositely-connected lugs, the current will pass through wire 7 to the sectional conductor toward which the car is traveling. From the conductor the cartakes its motoroperating current, and, as in the former instance, this conductor-section excites the magnet-coil of the next forward short-circuitlength of the road-bed.

present in the sectional wires and the magnet-coils of.the feed-in switches, and hence all of these wires inay be insulated. The current passes through sectional wire 2 to sec--V tional wire 1 in each alternate section when the sectional conductor of such sections are not charged, but as soon as the circuit is closed by the agency of each sectional switch and the armature of the feed-in switch the current passes direct from-wire 3 to the sectional conductor.

The sectional wires 1 and 2 are connected at numerous points by wires-15 to the ground or rail return. A switch .I with a fuse is placed in series in the circuit of each groundwire, being preferably located in a waterproof boX. These ground-wires may be spaced apart at intervals varying from one hundred to iive hundred feet along the entire In the event of a motor-car not operating the feed-in switch of any section when passing over the short-circuiting switch, resulting in failure to charge such section, and consequently the stopping of the car, it is only necessary for an attendant to operate oneof the switches J of one of the ground-wires, thus closing the electrical circuit and operating the feed-in switch-and cutting the feeder-current int-o sectional conductor. This will enable the car to proceed. These ground-wires should be so located that the distance between them should not consume much time on the part of the attendant going from the train thereto. These groundwires obviate the necessity of having the sectional wires bare or uninsulated,as is required when a portable device carried by the car is to be placed in engagement therewith in order to cut the current into the dead conductor-section.

On a double-track road, with all the cars running in one direction on one track, only one inductor on each car is required, but

lotherwise two inductors are carried on each car and the short-circuiting switch is duplicated and placed in circuit with the sectional wires, as before fully described. e

While I have shown and described the preferred means for carrying out my invention, yet I do not restrict myself thereto, since various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. Au electric-railway system comprising a sectional conductor, a feed-in switch for each section for controlling the electric current thereto,a short-circuitin g switch initially partially charged by the current of one section of said conductor, and means for operating said short-circuiting switch and completing the charge thereof, whereby it will throw in circuit, with another section of said conductor, the feed-in switch of lthe latter, as set forth.

2. An electric-railway system comprising a sectional conductor, afeed-in switch for each IIO section, sectional wires, a main feeder-wire in circuit with said switch, a short-circuiting switch in circuit with one of said sectional wires, and designed to be initially partially charged by the current in one section, and means for operating said short-circuiting switch by completing the charge thereof,

whereby through such latter wire the feed-iu switch of the next forward section will be operated for cutting the current from said feedwire into the conductor of said section, substantially as set forth.

3. An electric-railway system comprising a sectional conductor, a feed-in switch for each section, sectional wires in circuit with said feed-in switch, a main feeder-wire connected to said feed in switch, a short ci'rcuiting switch in circuit with one of said sectional wires and designed to be initially partially charged by the current in one section, and means carried by a motor-ear for operating said short-circuitin g switch by completing the charge thereof, whereby the feed-in switch of the next forward section will be operated, substantially as set forth.

4. An electric-railway system, comprisin ga sectional conductor, a feed-in switch for each section, sectional wires in circuit with said feed-in switch, one of said wires of one section being in circuit with the other wire of the adjacent section, a feeder-wire in circuit with said feed-in switch, a short-circuiting switch in circuit with one ofsaid sectional wires and designed to be initially partially charged bythe current in one section, and means carried by a motor-car for operating said short-circuiting switch by completing the charge thereof, whereby the feed-in switch of the next forward section will be operated, substantially as set forth.

5. An electric-railway system, comprising a sectional conductor, a feed-in switch for each section, constantly charged with electricity, the main feeder-wire connected to said feedin switch, sectional wires alternately connec-ted and both in circuit with said feed-in switch, a short-circuiting switch having an electromagnet in circuit with one of said sectional wires and designed to be initially partially charged by the current in one section, and means carried by a motor-car for operating said'short-circuiting switch by completing the charge thereof, whereby the feedin switch of the next forward section will be operated, substantially as set forth.

G. An electric-railway system,comprising a sectional conductor, a feed-in switch for each section thereof, a main feeder-wire connected to said feed-in switch, sectional wires also connected to said switch, a short-eircuiting switch having an electromagnet connected to one section of said conductor, the neutral portion of said electromagnet being removed, and an inductor carried by the motor-car for contacting with and operating said electromagnet by temporarily supplying the neutral portion thereof, substantially as set forth.

'7. An electric-railway system,comprising a sectional conductor, a feed-in switch for each section thereof, a main feeder-wire connected to said feed-in switch, sectional wires also connected to said switch, a short-circuiting switch having a bipolar elcctromagnet thc yoke or neutral portion of which is removed, the coils of said magnet being connected to one section of said conductor, and an inductor carried by the motor-car for having sliding contact with said electromagnet and acting as the neutral portion thereof, substantially as set forth.

8. In an electric-railway system, a shortcircuiting switch comprising :in electromagnet having its yoke or neutral portion removed, and means carried by the motor-car for engaging said electromagnet and temporarily supplying said yoke or neutral portion, as set forth.

9. In an electric-railway system, a shortcircuiting switch comprising an electromagnet having its yoke or neutral portion removed, and an inductor carried by the motorcar designed to have sliding contact with said magnet and temporarily supplying said yoke or neutral portion, as set forth.

10. In an electric-railway system, a shortcircuiting switch having a magnet the cores of which are disconnected at one end, and an inductor carried by the motor-car and dcsigned to contact with the said disconnected ends of said cores, as set forth.

11. The short-circuiting switch having an electromagnet the cores of which are disconnected, a waterproof box for said magnet, and a non-magnetic cover therefor having openings through which the upper ends of said cores project, and a waterproof compound surrounding said cover at its connection to said casing, as set forth.

12. In an electric-railway system, a shortcircuiting switch having an electromagnet the yoke or neutral portion of which is removed, the feeder-wire, sectional wires, a feed-in switch to which said wires are connected, an armature adjacent to said magnet, connections between said short-circuiting switch and said feed-in switch, and an inductor carried by the motor-car designed to contact with said electromagnet and temporarily supply the yoke or neutral portion thereof, substantially as set forth.

13. An electric-railway system comprising a sectional conductor,sectional wires, a feederwire, a feed-in switch to which said wires are connected and in circuit with said sectional conductor, a short-circuiting switch having an electromagnetin circuit with said sectional conductor, said magnet having its yoke or neutral portion removed, an armature designed to be acted upon by said electromagnet, and an inductor carried by the motor-car designed to engage said magnet and temporarily supply the yoke or neutral portion thereon, substantially as set forth.

14. A switch having an electromagnet, a

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pivotallymounted armature, opposite lugs carried by said armature, connected in series,

and spring contact-arms connected in separate series and designed when contacting with said lugs `to close a circuit, substantially as set forth.

15. Aswitch having an electromagnet, a pivotally-inounted armature, an insulated cylinder carried by said armature having opposite lugs connected in series, and springarms connected in separate series and designed when connecting with said ln gs to close a circuit, substantially as set forth.`

16. Inpan electric-railway system, short-circuiting switches located adjacent to the trackrails and having each an electromagnet the yoke or neutral portion .of which is removed, the neutral ends of said magnet bein g exposed between said track-rails, an armature designed to be acted upon by said magnet and carrying a circuit-closer, and an inductor carried by the motor-car designed to have sliding contact with said neutral ends, whereby said magnet will vact on said armature, substantially as set forth.

17. Afeed-in switch comprising two spacedapart magnets, an armature pivoted at its reduced end on a vert-ical line midway between and below said magnets, contact-lugs connected in series carried by said armature at or on line with said pivot, and two series of contact-arms'designed to be engaged with said lugs when one of said magnets acts on said armature, substantially as set forth.

18. In an electric-railway system having sectional conductors, sectional wires and a feeder-wire, a feed-in switch to which said wires are connected, said switch Yhavingelectromagnets, a pivoted armature carrying opposite lugs connected in series, spring-arms connected in two series, and connected to said feeder-'wire and said sectional conductor, and means for operating said electromagnets, whereby the current can be cut through said series of arms into said sectional conductor, substantially as set forth.

19. In'anelectric-railway system having sectionalconductors, sectional wires and a feeder-wire, a feed-in switch to which said wires are connected, said switch having electromagnets, a pivoted armature carrying opposite lugs connected in series, spring-arms connected in two series, and connected to said feeder-wire and a short-circuiting switch having an electromagnet, an armature carrying opposite lugs connected in series, and connectedv to said sectional conductor, and

an inductor carried by the motor-car designed to contact with and operate said short-circuiting switch, whereby said feed-in switch will be operated, said sectional switch being Cil in circuit therewith, substantially as set forth.

2O.A In an electric-railwaysystem having short-circuiting switches provided with electromagnets,l the yokes or neutral portions of which are removed, a motor-car having an elongated inductor designed to have sliding A contactwith said electromagnets, and means kgether and carried by said bar, and means for raising and lowering said inductor, substantially as set forth.

22..In an electric-railway system having short-circuiti'ng switches provided with electromagnets, the yokes or neutral portions of whichv are removed, a motor-car having an elongated inductor designed to have sliding 'Contact with said electromagnets, said inductor being composed of a bar and a series of metallicplates, pivoted links supporting said bar, springs to which said links are connected, and means connected to one of said links for raising and lowering said inductor, substantially as set forth.

23. In an electric-railway system havinga short-circuiting switch adjacent to the trackrails, a motor-car, an inductor exibly supported thereby, and a pneumatic device connected to said inductor for raising or lowering the same, as set forth.

24. In an electric-railway system having. a short-circuiting switch adjacent to the trackrails, a motor-car, an inductor iieXi-bly supported thereby, a buffer designed to be struck when said inductor is lowered, and apneumatic device connected-to said inductor, as and for the purpose set forth.

25. The combination with the motor-car andthe pivotally-supported inductor, of the specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARLAN P. wELLMAN.

Witnesses:

W. C. RICHARDSON, OSCAR HENTHORNE.

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